GST at settlement

On or after 1 July 2018, certain purchasers of new residential premises or potential residential land will be required to withhold an amount from the price of the supply for payment to us.

Note: When we refer to purchasers we are also referring to lessees under long-term leases.

The withholding amount is due on or before the day that consideration for the supply (other than a deposit) is first provided. If the contract is an instalment contract that will be the day the first instalment is paid otherwise it will be the day of settlement.

Suppliers will be required to assist their purchasers to comply by notifying them whether or not they have a withholding obligation on supplies of certain kinds of residential premises and potential residential land. Where there is a withholding obligation, the supplier must notify the purchaser of the amount they must withhold, when they must pay it to us, and of certain other particulars.

The amount a purchaser must withhold and pay to us is generally either:

Background

The GST withholding obligation was announced in the May 2017 Federal Budget.

It is directed at non-compliance by property suppliers who sell properties for a price that includes the GST but who avoid remitting the GST by dissolving their businesses before their next BAS lodgment. This is a form of phoenixing.

Our commitment to you

We are committed to providing you with accurate, consistent and clear information to help you understand your rights and entitlements and meet your obligations.

If you follow our information and it turns out to be incorrect, or it is misleading and you make a mistake as a result, we will take that into account when determining what action, if any, we should take.

Some of the information on this website applies to a specific financial year. This is clearly marked. Make sure you have the information for the right year before making decisions based on that information.

If you feel that our information does not fully cover your circumstances, or you are unsure how it applies to you, contact us or seek professional advice.